In the name of Life

Disclaimer: All views expressed in this blog are strictly non fictional and all resemblance is deliberately sought.

Once upon a time there were parents. They were parents because they had kids. As in every life case those kids grew up, chose lives of their own, married and happily settled themselves. The conflict starts.
Silly parents still attached to the children. Smart children, completely engrossed in their new life. However they are proud of their parents. It is in vogue these days to have 'old' parents living with kids and not in old age homes. Wow!! what lineage.

One fine day a parent falls seriously sick. Hospital room is booked, doctors are arranged, relatives are called. Duties are divided in and out of hospital, day and night of 24 hours. Managing big crowds is a skill of the riches. Lavish dinners are laid, premium scotch is let free, condition of the parent is discussed vocally along with other demanding subjects- prices of real estate; cost incurred in treatments these days; fall in the supply of good pedigree dogs in the market. Relatives left the city richer in trivia praising the hospitality.

Tragically the doctors pronounce the parent  fit to be discharged. The parent is brought home to the cosy confines of the expensive redwood bed. The children heave a sigh of relief. They can at last go back to their jobs. One can't afford too many leaves in private jobs. Being the owner of business with people to work also does not help.

Silly parents are left to cater to each other. The sickly being cursing her helplessness every mili second, for her the painful days are eternal. To make matters worse the parents are still in love. . They can't do much for each other subject to their physical deformations of old age.
Smart kids have rolled out every possible comforts to them. And they feel REALLY bad that the parent can't get up and perform by herself. A line has to be drawn to attachment. It will ruin the future prospects and parents will feel sad about it. 

Please see if you are feeling sentimental, grow up. This is life. And yeah did I forget to mention about the old dog who would not get up from besides the bed of the ailing parent and would refuse to eat too. :)
The world is full of silly specimen.

The Breed called Boss

I know I take a rest too long between my blogs....this is the time taken to draw inspiration from the surroundings. Alas!!! my friends have become too lazy to read and appreciate. Feedback to a writer is what oxygen is to flora ")

I was taking a briefing of my team the other day when I stopped short of dousing their enthusiastic ideas with my words of caution and logic. Woila....I was doing what my last boss would do. Nothing wrong but I stepped into my old shoes for a while. A subordinate's job is to generate.....ideas, suggestions, creativity. Assimilation is an art of a senior. That's how bonsais are cultivated for all I know. A dwarfed mind has little use in corporates. Let it grow, develop branches and then clip the useless ones but chance....given good.

I have been blessed to work with some of the best bosses. The breed encompassing all who have ever bossed me......isn't that what they all do...BOSS, BOSS and BOSS. From power players to spineless cowards,  told you, I have been LUCKY. The trick is easy - Yes Sir, No Sir. For all one can do is save wisdom for future when they join the gang.

There was one partial to his regulations to the extent of fanaticism. Result....a new one would replace the old every fortnight. It was akin to watching a fast paced suspense where you miss a few precious moments and forsake the entire lead. An associate returning from a week long vacation would have a full length scripture waiting for him to learn afresh.

Then there was one who was just concerned with making work a living hell. Presume he had a tie up with god to advertise the same on earth. The commision thing!!! No amount of logic, caution helped. It was as good as paying for the sins of past life. The theory of Karma....where my account was credited with his repentences too. But I loved it......'love the hand you can't bite'.

I did my training under a classic specimen. He was a product of Indian opposition in legislature. Oppose he would all and propose none. To top it all every refusal of his was marked by a Atal Beharied pause which was eternal. I recently learned he got an award for the best creative head in the group. No wonder none of our ideas were approved. This is characteristic of many bosses. Stealing credits. But fear not O subordinate for thou happiness is preserved under the sheath.

Knowledge is power, and power corrupts. I had one who took this to his heart. He would keep information safe in Brunie Sultan's vault. Result.....you swim and drown. Come out only to drown again.

There were heaps of others and I learnt the following under them

• Planning to call it a day...hold on, the boss has just begun.
• A pat on back calls for two on butt
• Keep your boss's boss off your boss's back (Use this with caution...you are loaning the fury of two bosses. May thy soul rest in peace)
• Request list of a boss is bigger than universe
• You might have a verdict of your own...just that it is eternally stupid
• To err is you, to forgive..forget it
• You are responsible for all things that go wrong. Is quitting an option!!! You will be all the more responsible.
• It is your moral resposibility to be a friend in need to to your boss's family. Only when they need someone to hold their shopping bags or drive them to finest restaurants.
• Give your boss one compliment daily. It won't make things easier. Play human. Gandhi said an eye for an eye makes the world blind. He will one day wake up to all of them and throw you out for being a 'chamcha'

I am sure there are more....but I want to save some exclusively for me, I still have a boss to work for. Boss is a breed that was meant to be. God wanted to give competition to devils and he could not have directly done so hence the coinage...BOSS.
For all us lesser humans out here get bossed. If YES can make life simple then don't say no to it. Result....we all live happily ever after.

Time for a Break

Once I picked up a terrible fight with my parents (believe the only time…..it was A FIGHT). Reason….someone said something about my sister, which was not exactly wrong. The bone of contention being how anyone dare raise a finger at my sister. I had agreed to the fact that she was wrong but I was not willing to give this right to an outsider to point out her follies. She is my family and I considered it my moral responsibility to save her from any public disgrace. Whatever the shortcomings, could always be mutually sorted out.

For the last one week I have been hooked to the news channels, two issues in particular calling my attention, one being the CWG and other the impending Ayodhya verdict. The former a classic example of politicization of national honor and second a revered case study of national unity slain in name of religious politics. The Ayodhya dispute is definitely a tricky one but CWG failure is an international setback on the nation’s capabilities.

Much has been written and debated on the poor management of the event. The intelligentsia of the nation has all managed to capture some prime time slots on the innumerable news channels. As a country we have fought and overcome many exigencies. I have been looking for one mind that would move forward and take a STEP NEXT.

I know it is a terrible incentive to politicize an event of international repute; it culminates in the national art of Government formation. But for one single moment can we rise against the petty ideologies and think beyond!! Can we as a family stand and brave this global humiliation!! If we can defer the verdict of Bofors scam for ages we sure can save our allegations on Kalmadi and company post games.

The games are just round the corner and shouting hard for every Indian to do the bit. Let’s call the karsewaks and share a hand in removing the debris. The engineers of the city can be given a different site just for a day where they can all earth those open wires, plaster the false ceilings. The housekeeping of all the newly mushroomed hotels can be loaned for a day to clean the WCs, lay the linen. As a second most populated country of the world we can jolly well utilize the hands and minds of our fellow citizens for saving our face. And phhuleasse don’t tell me it is not our job. If this is not our job then let’s stop playing moral police on the late night parties of our neighbor’s daughter. Stop commenting on the fashion faux pas of some celebrity’s page 3 party. Stop criticizing the municipalities for the poor roads and drainage. And if these are few of our rights just by the virtue of being born humans then let us stand up to our breed. First and foremost don’t be a party to the world out there inflicting dishonor to our motherland. Play the part, take a step ahead and help ourselves organize a world class show despite of the initial hitches. For a nation of several billion population this is not at all impossible. All we need to do is unite and fight.

This is my country, I am ashamed for sure but more than that I am hurt. Hurt to see the world mar my reputation. For a handful of corrupt livestock let not our respect go down the drains.

Every evening let’s get on the prime time not for allegations but for aids, advices, helping hands. Close the show and deal with the monsters later. I will be the first to advocate public execution of this group, nothing better then stoning them to death and burying their corpses right in the middle of the Games Village. If as living beings they could not contribute then at least let their fossils be a source of manure for the greener vision of tomorrow.

P.S. this is dedicated to all those who have made hay while the sun shone.

 

There are some things money can't buy

Have been thinking for quite some time now on my next blog. Do not want to waste time on any nonsensical subject, but there are few things on mind which choose not to leave me. I was watching Deewar- the Big B blockbuster yesterday night. I have always watched this movie for just one dialogue-'Mere paas... MA hai' and everytime burst into peels of laughter on the dialogue delivery of Shashi Kapoor. Time and again I dismissed this dialogue as just another routine one wondering what is so great with it.

Yesterday I was cooking my dinner when Shashi Kapoor emoted out softly the immortal lines. For the first time I could not laugh it off. Reason....yeah....mere paas ma nahi hai. And why just Mom I do not have any loved one near. The quest for money and desire for growth, a pseudo measure of success, has thrown me into oblivion. I had everything when I was with my family in Udaipur. Yet I wanted to move out, no strong logic for that. I was impressed by the independent woman of today living her life on her own terms. Did my parents ever question my outings...I can't recall a single incident. I had promised myself I would marry only when I embark on the road to success. My journey is well on track.....working with one of the best brand, earning more than enough for myself, living alone on my terms.

While I was in Hyderabad MA had a slip disc again. I was with her last time she had it. I know the pain she endures and do not trust anyone with her care. This time I found myself in the league of all those heartless children who leave their ailing parents alone. How I would never spare a single instance of cursing them and empathising with such elderlies. I would vouch to my parents I will never let them be one of them. Now I understand why they always laughed it off. They are seasoned enough to know life. I can give 10,000 excuses of why I am not heartless but none can alter practicality. Figament of my life was ailing and I chose to ignore it. I would not even talk to her on phone cause I could not stand the pain she was in. For the first time I realized I had lost myself to materialism.

Off late I have begun liking these lines more than ever,"Sara Samunder mere pass hai, ek boond paani meri pyaas hai". I have money but whom do I splurge on!! I have time but whom do I spend it with. My life has become a perfect example of Karthik calling Karthik minus the calls and a soulmate. I yearn for a social life. But I do not miss anyone probably because I have become a loner. My desire to rise has snatched all rights of attachments and bondings.

My parents were here last week. How I enjoyed going back home to noise, laughter and love. I was not the person who ever regreted. But this line of thought has not left me since the past 2 months. What is that I am running after. Money, I know, it was always short for me, but what else. Why can't I wait and enjoy the savouries of life. I have always been in love with rains....the platter of raindrops gives me pleasure unmatched. What is stopping me to call sick and enjoy getting drenched in the blessing one day. I love reading but do not remember when was the last time I finished some soapy romance in a single night. I love public speaking, why don't I go after my childhood dream of becoming a war reporter. There are so many why's in my life and nobody has stopped me from seeking answers. I have earned enough to sustain myself. It is just that I lack courage...courage to swim in waters unknown. I have never been a high maintenance girl, am content with road side shacks selling good food but I am developing a taste for 5 star luxury. The reason again eludes itself from my grasp. I love keeping in touch with my people.....I am trying to become lazy on calls.

I have started talking to myself.......I know it is an art and renowned philosophers and gurus preach it.....but I talk because I don't have anyone who will understand, who will help me search answers. Work is becoming my love because I do not have humans to love. I throw this question often to myself ....why do human beings pine for what is not and end up complicating things.

My autobiography can be summarised well by DEEWAR between AB and SK

Mere paas gaadi hai, bungla hai, Daulat hai.

But I chose to let go of MA. I had her once....no longer. Time is running out and I am running away from Time.

IN A PHOREN LAND

During my childhood days I have been a witness to quite a yapping on “phoren returned individuals”. Now it is quite a common thing with mango and not so mango people visiting these pastures for just a casual trip, paying a visit to married son or daughter or even a miniature transplant which is possible back home too. However the charms of a tag ‘made outside India’ are lucrative enough.

Foreign to me always was something that is not yours. Then why going abroad is the only way to secure the trophy. Hello everyone…..here, yes, here…..I have dithered out of my secure cozy home town too. Not an achievement for sure, given the kind of loner I am, but evidently a step too far. Hyderabad…..the land of nizams……and the land of beefy, moustached, greater than god heroes. For that matter even the heroines here weigh more than our heroes. :)

My sojourn in Hyderabad is short but long enough to understand the city and culture around. Please do not mistake me for a discerning Huen Tsang. Culture to me here is limited to good biryanis and eye catching colorful pearls (I have shopped quite a many). There are other things that have kept me bound to this city for almost a month now, the first and foremost being the night life.

Apart from being a hub of discs and pubs night life to me is the life of people who are out while I enjoy my night in my soft 16” mattress. Ssshhh….please do not tell anyone I am afraid of hotel rooms. The sound of cars honking past the hussainsagar lake drive is enough to lull me to sleep. I am grateful that my room overlooks one of the busiest and most picturesque roads of Hyderabad.

When I was leaving for Hyderabad my friends wished me luck for braving the Tollywood starlets. But pals let me assure you some of them are handsome enough to put our Khan brigade to shame. Surprised……..I am sure you would be cause I am awe struck too. This reminds me of an interesting incident when I had gone to see my close friend at her hotel (no, not all my friends are unfortunate to stay in hotels, she is blessed to have a house of her own). Once done with our dinner she beamed out in hushed undertone the name of a south superstar who had been getting his hair styled for the last 5 hours in her salon. I was super impressed. Arrre not for the hero whose name reminisced a ‘babu’ in some secretariat but for the time spent in styling a few whisks of hair. I mean it would have put Poonam Dillon to shame…remember the Bajaj Brahmi Amla kesh tel!!!! But boy oh!…how he managed to charm me with just a casual sideway glance. He played Sushmita to my Shahrukh-ised dream of Mai Hoo na.

One thing that has succeeded in scaring my wits out is the auto drivers here. Man……I wonder if they imitate Rajnikant on roads. The entire clan it seems is competing on who is able to terrorize the passengers more. ‘ Khush to bahut hoge tum’, I am sure god was all chuckled up once I thanked him on getting out alive.

Did anyone of you ever hear that South Indians are conservative!!! Hell, I will give you a burning example. Just the other day I asked one of my colleagues to drop me midway on his route. The three married males in my department literally had a fight. Guys please do not misunderstand. They fought not over the privilege of dropping me but how could they pass the buck to the other guy. Yeah….I choose to call it a burning example because it left me fuming not with anger but with heat of embarrassment and shame. I wondered if I came across as a flirt vamp who would snatch them away from their wives!!! Precisely…….gimme a break…..it was just a lift I had asked for :

Monsoons are yet another thing that have me hooked to the city. Coming from a predominantly dry state the platter of rain drops are melody to ears and beauty to eyes. Sitting in the room, sipping hot chocolate (sadly, I chose a wrong time to denounce coffee) and gazing at those thousands of sail boats populating the river on a cloudy morning….. If there is a heaven on earth- it is here, it is here, it is here.

By and large I have covered all the idiosyncrasies of the city so far experienced. And I am not going to tell you people about my weight that has increased exponentially with the taste of biryanis. All you guys can know is that biryanis here are more popular in youngsters than the Chicken Mc grill or thin crust pizzas. All is not lost in liberalization.

I will have to say good bye here as my stomach is growling for a bite of Bhindi Pulussu and bisibele bath.
P.S. I am yet to learn to savour the taste of these delicacies though I have mastered the transformation of my breakfast menu from delectable poha and cutlets to healthy filling idlis and pancakes.

Have Faith

This is for my bosom friend Arch, who has recently been through some turbulent times. What has been remarkable was her spirit to rise and bounce back. We have shared some happy memories together and have parted just a month back. Just a month.....and a lot has already happened. Dunnow why God did this, why could not we have been together!! I know well that pain has to be endured alone, all I could have done was supply constant strength.

WHATEVER HAPPENS, HAPPENS FOR GOOD- we have both been staunch believers, never having questioned the ways of god, showing each other logic every time the other failed. During our last conversation we missed.....missed to see the reason, the other side, the glass half full for the first time. I sat and pondered and all that came to my mind was not now, probably later, while playing on the white keys will we hear the echo of black keys. All said and done what prevails is the will of god. Arch, this reminds me of a beautiful quote I read a few days back

“I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish He didn't trust me so much.”


You are not alone, together we stand
I will always walk beside you hand in hand
Tides will turn, logics would fail
Trust, I will always help you sail
Always and….. always

Have Faith
When it comes to truth, there is nothing we can do
Just stay strong, and look the side reverse
Do not question destiny
Cause all we can do is…… have faith


Mortals do not hold a chance
God measures and takes his own stance
Move forward, learn to rise
Worry not, of the bygone plights
Let bygone be…….gone

Have Faith
When it comes to truth, there is nothing we can do
Just stay strong, and look the side reverse
Do not question destiny
Cause all we can do is…… have faith

You have been through hell, far and near
I wish I were at side, before it could disappear
When the doors open and before the end
I promise I will defend
Defend……….till the end

Have Faith
When it comes to truth, there is nothing we can do
Just stay strong, and look the side reverse
Do not question destiny
Cause all we can do is…… have faith


Believe me when I say
Nothing’s going to change destiny
What will, will work out perfectly
We will sure work our way
Our way….the perfect way

Have Faith
When it comes to truth, there is nothing we can do
Just stay strong, and look the side reverse
Do not question destiny
Cause all we can do is…… have faith

Tenets of Fidelity

I have always had my doubts in the institution of Marriage. Not because I am afraid of being hitched, but because I am apprehensive if I will be able to live my entire life kissing good morning to the same face day after day without getting bored(not that I hug good night to a different fellow every night either :).

Life came a 360 degree for me when all my close friends started getting married and revelling in the glory of the same. The horizons of our conversations narrowed around one single point of origin, their hubbies and wifeys (Gawd how I hate that). Women in my bandwagon had started singing out loud the luxuries of having a husband. The scenario left me retrospecting on my stance. Finally I mustered courage and started looking out for possible suitors. Not that I was looking for a prince on a horse...zzzzz.....the stupid thought leaves me groggy, all I wanted was a brainy, brawny, handsome guy in a cherokee. Is it too much to ask for god!!!

Anyways I was sitting in my hotel room yesterday night when I received a call from a long lost relative. I was about to dismiss the call as another of those here's my -shopping list- types when the voice on the other end whispered." Prach wish to confide something in you".

Yeah, PRACH, that is my GURU Avtaar. ;)
Since the time I had crossed the legal age of giving advice I was considered pretty good at my art and a close confidante too.

Now this lady relative of mine is a perfect example of Marriages are made in heaven. A pretty intelligent dame wedded to a silly -guy- next -door man who would rather pass as a fool in my dictionary. I wondered if love is actually blind when she would drool over her husband. I simply could not stand the show of transforming a Goofy into a God.
Coming back to the subject she said she was getting attracted to her tall muscular, young boss and was feeling guilty about it. My ears were ringing hard on this telltale story of a mother of 1 and a 1/2 kid (she is expecting once again) who had been my role model all along till yesterday night.

Yet again I faced the logic vs ethics battle between my brain and heart. P.S. I am not a very principled woman. What do I tell her.....Boss you were wrong in the very first place marrying a guy of your family's choice whom any self sustained woman would not have even cast a glance at. And now you expect me to chalk a way out. What..go and sway in the arms of your dream man who is half your age!!!

My past experiences have told me advice by religion needs to be rational and independent of personal preferences. Hence here I am listing all possible, stupid options for avoiding her boss. Hey!! did I mention somewhere this was not a crush, it was a well established case of fire on both sides. I even suggested her to introduce this boss of hers to me...sounds gross I know but what's the harm in checking him out. Who knows the villain of her life might turn out to be my hero.

Jokes apart after the entire conversation I was left brooding on the one oft repeated and highly overestimated statement- Love is Blind. My line of thought- what was love in this story, marrying a guy for reasons unknown and procreating his heir line or falling for a guy much younger for feelings that defy logic.

In either case I am back to square one. I fail to see logics and reasons that govern the insitution. Is it a gamble as they say or an art governed by willingnes to succeed. All said and done even if it is a fallacy I am all set to try my hands on it :)................................................................................................Cause whatever my marital status, right now I am blind and without love.

Flicker of hope

I still remember the sprain in my leg, you winced at the pain
I vividly recall the cold in my chest, the congestion caught you insane!!!

Like the halo on my head,
Like the wings on my side,
You were my angel,
whom I could count on blind.

You waded me through clouds, till I reached the rainbow
I danced in the rains, glided on thorns, Content to brave all show.

Weathers would change, time would flee
I was so sure we would be we!!!
Going was tough but I mastered the art
Liek they always say, till death do us part.

Days were rosy nights were calm, Distance increased, You lost the charm
I limp on roses now bruise through satins, my fractures fail to turn you around!!!

Yet I nurse myself and nourish the battered me
I fall n rise, wake n walk, not loosing the glee
cause if ever you wish to return
You don't loose the friend you found in me.